Toasting device



Oct. 23, 1945. M. w. HUMPHRl-:Ys 2,387,586

TOASTING DEVI CE Filed 001.410, 1942 2 Shee1l',s-She|efrl 2 v BY Mge/0N W /aMPH/esr M www? @W /Qrroe/YEYS `indicated by line 5-5 of Fig.

Patented Oct. 23, i945 TDASTING DEVICE Marlon W. Humphreys, Euclid, @lilo Application October l0, 19412, VSerial No. 461,539

(El. 99m-32TH 3 Claims.

This invention relates tothe toasting of bread or the like and aims to provide a novel apparatus by which an automatic toasting operation can be carried outmore satisfactorily than heretofore.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the toasting of a bread slice or the like so that a change in the moisture content or in the electrical conductivity of the slice can be used to automatically control the toasting operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved toasting device in which a relay circuit responsive to change in the moisture content or electrical conductivity of the slice being toasted controls the automatic operation of the device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved toasting device of the character mentioned embodying means for positively moving a bread slice or the like into toasting position so as to span conducting elements iii- 20 eluded in the control circuit.

My invention also aims to provide an improved toasting device in which an adjustment oi the toasting period can be eiected by movement of a pointer with reference to a color chart having 25 different toast shades thereon. t

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in commotion with the accompany ing sheets of drawings in which: A 3 Fig. 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken through a toasting device embodying my invention;

" Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

35 Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line.

3-3 or Fig. l:

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional Fig. 6 is a partial sectional plan view on line 8--6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '1 is a partial vertical sectional view taken on line 11 of Fig. 1 and showing the relay on a i5 larger scale;

Fig. 8 is a partial end elevation showing the color chart and adjusting pointer; and

Fig. 9 is a wiring diagram.

As shown in the drawings, my improved toaster 50.

may be of the type having an outer housing or shell I0 mounted on a suitable base II of insulating material and provided at its top with a slot I2, defined by an inturned Vflange i212, adapted to receive a slice of bread or other body to be 55 plan view taken as .30

0 such sheets.

toasted. The housing may also include a laterally extending oor plate i3 located at the point of connection of the shell with the base.- A pair of spaced upright frame members I 4 and I5 are connected with the iloor plate and extend upwardly to meet the top of the housing IU at the ends of the slot I2. The tops of the frame members I4 and I5 are connected by a longitudinal frame member I6 have a slot-like opening into which the inturned flange I2a of the housing I0 extends. Asshown in Figs. l and 4, the end walls Illa and Illb of the housing I0 arespaced from the frame members Ill and I5, respectively, leaving the spaces I'l and I8 therebetween. The space I8 contains novel control mechanism which will be described hereinafter. f

Heat for the toasting operation is supplied by a pair of substantially vfiat electric heating elements i9 and 20 which are arranged in spaced upright substantially parallel relation and extend Vbetween the floor plate- I3 and the downturned flanges or edges Ita oi the frame member It. These iiat heating elements and the frame members It and I5 form, respectively, the sides and ends of a toasting chamber 23 having the slot I 2 leading into the top thereof. The elements I9 and 2t each comprise a pair of connected sheets 2l of mica or the like and a resistance wire or ribbon 22 suitably arranged on The elements I9 and 20 are arranged with their lower edges resting on the f floor plate It and with their upper edges extending inside of the depending flanges Ita frame member I E.

The bread `slice 24 illustrated in broken lines and representing the body to be toasted is prevented from contacting the heating elements I9 and ,by longitudinally spaced upright guide wires 25 located in the toasting chamber. 'I'he upper ends of these guide wires are connected with the frame member I6 and their lower-ends extend through holes in the iloor plate I3. The

of the guide wires are arranged in opposed or paired relation and may be bent so that only the points 2t thereof engage the slice.

For moving the slice to and from a toasting position in the chamber 23, a movable carrier 21 is provided. The carrier comprises a bar 28 which extends longitudinally through the toasting chamber and hasears 28a in which a pair of rock shafts 29V are mounted. These rock shafts are provided with sets of spaced wire fingers or hooklike prongs which have opening and closing movementrelative to each othenduring the rocking of the shafts. These prongs serge as a grip- Y im ping means which engages the slice 24 so that the latter will be moved positively with the carrier 4 21. The purpose in providing this gripping means on the carrier 21 is to cause the slice to be impaled on pairs of upstanding conducting elements or terminals 3| and 32 which extend upwardly between the rock shafts 29. The elements 3| and 32 constitute a part of the control means which will be later described in detail. 1

For rocking the shafts 29 of the carrier 21 to cause the prongs 39 to engage or release the slice 24, I may provide cooperating cam and follower elements. The cam elements 33 may be in the form of slots cut in the frame members I4 and I5, and the followers 34 may comprise arms or wires connected with the shafts 29 and having outwardly or axially extending end portions 34a engaging in the cam slots 33. As

shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the cam slots 33 are arranged so that the upper portions thereof extend in diverging relation and the lower portions extend in substantially parallel relation. When the carrier 21 is in its upper position, the cam followers 34 cooperate with the diverging por-l tions of the cam slots and hold the prongs 39v in separated relation so that when a slice is inserted through the slot I2, it will be received between the prongs with its lower edge resting on the parallel shafts 29. As the carrier 21 is moved downwardly, the cam followers 34 will be swung toward each other by the inclined portions of the cam slots, thus rocking the 'shafts 29 and moving the prongs 39 into gripping engagement with the slice. During the succeeding ,downward movement of the carrier 21, the prongs 39 will hold the slice, causing the same to move with the carrier and to be impaled on the pairs of conducting elements 3| and 32. The drawings show the carrier in its lowermost position of travel with the slice 2,4' in the toasting position and impaled on these conducting elements;

When the carrier 21 moves upwardly, it pushes the slice off of the conducting elements 3| and 32, andas the cam followers 34 travel along the diverging portions of the cam slots 33, they cause the shafts 29 to be rocked in a direction to disengage the prongs 39 -from the slice. By the time the upper edge of the slice emerges from the slot I2, the prongs y39 will have been withfk, drawn from the slice so that it can be lifted out of the device.

bracket 31 and its lower end connected to the head 35.

When the carrier 21 is moved downwardly to the toasting position, a lug 42 carried by the head 35 wipes past a. movable latch or trigger 43 and is held by the latter` against upward movement. When the latch 43 is swung to disengage or release the lug 42. as by the means to be presently described, the spring 4I -returns or lifts the carrier 21 to its slice-receiving position. This upward or return movement of the carrier under the influence of the spring. 4I may be cushioned or checked by a suitable check device such as a dash pot having its cylinder 44 mounted on the bracket 31 and its piston 45 connected with the head 35. The connection between the piston 45 and the head 35 may be a lost-motion connection formed by a pair of spaced stops 45 connected with the piston rod 45a andI engageable with a lug 41 which projects from the head 35 and has an opening through which the piston rod is movable. l

An important feature of my improved toasting device is the provision of automatic means forldisengaging the latch 43 from the lug 42 when the toasting operation has been completed or carried out to the point desired by the operator.

For effecting this automatic release of the carrier 21, I provide a relay 48 having a pair of contacts 49 and 59 and a magnet 5I which is controlled by the relay contacts. The magnet- 5I has an armature 52 mounted for swinging movement relative to the magnet core 5I a and which carries the movable latch 43. A tension spring 53 acting on the armature 52 normally urges the same away from the magnet core, thereby also holding the latch 43 in the path of movement 0f the lug 42. y

Reverting to the heating elements I9 and 29, it will be seen from the drawings that current is supplied to these elements from the con- The carrier actuating and control means will next be described. As best seen in Fig. 4, one end of the bar 29 of the carrier 21 projects through a slot I5a of the frame member I5 and has a head 35 connected therewith which is slidably guided on a guide rod 36 by means of the spaced bearings 35a. This guide rod has its lower end connected with the floor-plate I3 and its upper end mounted in a bracket 31 which is carried by the upright frame member I5. The opposite end of the bar 28 projects through a guide slot I4a provided in the frame member u. An arm sa projects through a slot as of the housing I9 and carries a` suitably shaped knob or thumb rest 49. The arm 38 may be a part of the head 35, or, as in this case, may be in the vform of a bracket having spaced bearings' 38a which are located above the bearings of the head 35 and are valso slidable on the rod 35. The

ductors 54 and 55 through a switch S comprising a pair of stationary contacts 56a and 58h and a movable contact 51 cooperating therewith. The stationary contacts 55a and 56h are mounted on the floor plate I3 but are insulated from this plate and from each other by insulation pieces 59. 'I'he movable contact 51 is connected with the head 35 by a exible arm or springl 59 from which this contact is suitably insulated. When the carrier 21 is moved downwardly to the toasting position, the contact 51 is pressed against the contacts 56a and 55h to thereby connect the heating elements I9 and 29 with the current supply conductors 54 and 55. So long as the` switch S remains closed, current will be supplied to the heating elements, but when -the carrier 21 is retracted or moved upwardly, the switch S is opened to discontinue the toasting operation. i

I have observed that during the toasting oi' a slice of bread or the like, moisture is driven off bythe heat supplied during the toasting operation. The resulting decrease in the moisture content of the bread produces a corresponding decrease in its electrical conductivity, and this 9, the control 'circuit includes the winding of the determines the spacing of the armature with respect to the relay core. 'I'he setting of the cam 31 thus determines the extent to which the relay 43 must be deenergized to permit the armature 33 to drop away from the'core to cause closing of the contacts 49 and 50. If the cam 81 is-set so that the air gap between the armature and the core is relatively wide, only a small decrease conducting elements 3| and 32 are in the form of pointed wires or pins carried by a bar 6| `which is connected to the iloor plate I3. The elements 3| and 32 may be mounted on the bar 3| by means of screws 62 which are insulated from the bar and to which screws the elements 3| and 32 are soldered or otherwise connected.

The relay 48 includes a which cooperates with the relay core 48a and which drops by gravity away from the core when pivoted armature 63 t the relay is deenergized or whenever the energil zation thereof is lreduced to a predetermined point. as by a predetermined decrease in the en ergiz'ing current flowing through the control circuit. 'Ihe armature 83 of the relay may include an arm 64 formed of insulating material and on which the movable relay contact 43 is mounted by means .of the spring finger 3B. So long as lthe amature B3 of the relay `is heldlup by the yattraction of the core 43a, the relay contacts 49 and 50 will be maintained separated, but when the amature drops away from the core, the movable contact 49 engages the stationary contact I3, as shown in Fig. l1.

From the wiring diagram of Fig. 9. it will b'e i seen that the relay contacts 49 and 50 control the energizing circuit for the magnet 5|. When the. relay contacts are open, the magnet Blf' is deenergized and the latch 43 Von the armature I2 willI` remain in engagement with the lug 42 of the carrier 21. When the relay contacts close, the

magnet 5| is energized, and the resulting' atslice and its conductivity decreases with a corre- K sponding decrease in the energization of the relay 48. When the conductivity of the slice de-V creases toA the point ,that the relay permits the contacts/ 43 and 50 to close, the magnet 5| will be energized and the carrier 21 will be released and will move upwardly under the influence of the spring 4|, thereby opening the main switch to discontinue the toasting operation.

It is desirable to be able' to vary the toasting operation so that the slice will have a desired lightor dark shade when the operation is automatically discontinued. This ,f can be accomplishc-d by adjusting the relay 43' to vary the mile of closing of its contacts 43 and l0.' The relay adjustment may comprise a cam 61 car- ,jried by a shaft B3 which is provided with a knob 33 accessible from the outside of the housing lll. The cam 81 forms a stop which is engaged by the arm 34 of the armature of the relay and which in the energization of the relay will be needed to permit closing of the relay contacts; but on the other hand if the air gap is small, a greater decrease in the energization of the relay must occur before the relay contacts can close. It will therefore be seen that by means of this adjusting cam 61 the functioning ofthe relay can be varied so that the toasting operation will be discontinued upon the occurrence of a ,predeter- .mined change in the conductivity of the slice.

To facilitate the adjustment of the relay 43, I

provide the knob 89 with a pointer. which cof operates with a color chart`1| mounted on the housing l0. The color chart displays toast shades which vary progressively between two extremes represented by the plain or uncolored section 12 and the section 13 representing the deepest or darkest color to which bread or the like can be toasted. 'In other words, the colr chart 1I carries progressively deepening shades of brown starting with a brown tinged white and extending to 'a black or brown tinged yblack. The operator moves the knob 63 to locate the pointer at the actual color shade which he wants his toast to have. When the pointer is set at this shade, the relay adjustment will be such as to automatically cause the toasting operation to be discontinued when the slice has been toasted to the selected shade.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will now be seen that I have provided novel means by which bread slices or the like can be toasted more satisfactorily than has heretofore been possible. It will also be seen that in my toasting device, a change in the moisture content and conductivity of the slice is used to automatically controlthe toasting operation and that novel adjusting means enables the operator to select in advance the color or shade which he wants his toast `to have when the toastc' ing peration is au omatically discontinued.

Vlas

,f ile I have ill trated and described my improved toasting device in more or less detail, it will be understood, of course. that I do not wish to be limited to the particular steps and details of construction herein-disclosed but regard my invention as including such changes and modifications as do not constitute adeparture from the spirit of the invention and the scop'e of the appended claims. Y Y e Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a toasting evice, an electric element for heating a slice to/i e toasted, means for supplying current to said element, a relay having a core an fan armature carrying one of a pair of coopera ing elay contacts adapted to be closed when the energiaation of the relay decreases a predetermined amount, a. circuit for the relay containing spaced pins adapted to be inserted into the slice so ythat the energization of the relay is dependent upon the electrical conductivity of the slice, means for'fadjusti'ng the spacing of said armature and core for varying the efectiveness oi the relay, and means controlled by the relay contacts for interrupting the supply of current to said element. l

2. In a toasting device, an electric element for heating a slice to be toasted, a circuit for supplying current to said element and having a switch therein, a relay having cooperating contacts adapted to be closed when the energization of the relay, decreases a predetermined amount, a

circuit for the relay containing spaced pins adapted to be inserted into the slice so that the energization of the relay is dependent upon the therein, a' relay having a core and an armature carrying one of a pair of cooperating relay contacts adapted to be closed when the energizatlon of the relay decreases a predetermined amount, a circuit for the relay containing spaced pins adapted to be inserted into the slice so that the energization of the relay is dependent upon the electrical conductivity of the slice, means for adjusting the spacing of said armature and core for varying the effectiveness of the relay, spring biased means movable to disengage said slice from said pins, an electro-magnetic latch device for holding said spring biasedl means against such slice disengaging movement and adapted when energized to release such spring biased means, means for opening said switch during such slice disengaging movement, and a circuit for energizing said magnetic latch device and controlled by the contacts of said relay.

MARION W. HUMPHREYS. 

